Visiting a Dentist to Treat Sleep Apnea Can Improve Your Health

Are you looking for information on sleep apnea because you have been diagnosed with this disorder recently? Did you know that you can visit a dentist for sleep apnea solutions?

When you are living with sleep apnea, it is essential for you to find a solution as soon as possible. This sleeping disorder has the potential to negatively affect the quality of your sleep, which in turn can have a damaging impact on your overall health.

When you are not getting the sleep you need, your performance at work or school can suffer.

About sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to stop breathing while they are asleep.

If you have sleep apnea, you can stop breathing as little as one or two times per night to hundreds of time. The severity will simply depend on each patient's unique situation.

During these bouts of non-breathing, the brain is being deprived of oxygen. This is one of the main reasons why a solution for sleep apnea is needed as soon as possible to prevent long-term harm.

While there are many different types of sleep apnea, the main three types are obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea syndrome.

Common sleep apnea symptoms

The most common general symptoms associated with this sleeping disorder include:

• Loud snoring
• Waking up often trying to catch one’s breath
• Waking up with a very dry mouth
• Waking up with a headache
• Feeling irritable throughout the day
• Experiencing daytime sleepiness

Jaw pain and damaged teeth may also indicate that you have sleep apnea.

About dental sleep medicine

According to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, nearly 30 million Americans suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. Many dentists seek special training to treat this condition. They know how to use oral appliance therapy to increase oxygen flow and protect teeth.

Seeing a dentist to treat sleep apnea

Oral appliance therapy requires sleep apnea patients to wear an orthodontic retainer or a mouth guard when they are sleeping. This device will help promote healthy breathing during the night. Each appliance is custom-made to fit a patient’s mouth.  

A CPAP machine is another common treatment for sleep apnea. It works by keeping the airway open by forcing air through a tube that is connected to a mask.

Lastly, surgery may be an option. However, it is often a last resort treatment method.

Would you like to speak with a dentist?

Many people are often surprised when they hear that a dentist can help with sleep apnea. However, now that you know that the disorder can damage your teeth, seeing a dentist should make more sense.

Each case of sleep apnea is unique, and only a dentist can decide which treatment will work best.

Find out which treatments may work for you by calling our office. Not only can we help protect your teeth, but we can work on improving how well you sleep.

Request an appointment here: https://whiteflintfamilydental.com or call White Flint Family Dental at (301) 273-1085 for an appointment in our Rockville office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Do I Have Sleep Apnea.